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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. clip — to cut
  5. clip — a video
  6. firm — a company
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. firm — decided
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. craft — boats
  11. swing — music
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — a tool
  15. swing — in golf
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. craft — a skill
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. clip — for paper
  20. firm — steady
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bore — to drill
  23. swing — to play on
  24. plane — in geometry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com